PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Department has signed an agreement with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) to provide free WIFI facility in educational institutions of the province.

Under the project, which is named as “Open WI-FI Project”, free WIFI facility will be provided initially in University of Peshawar and 25 colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to facilitate the students in their studies and research activities.

As per the contract PTCL will be responsible for customizing, implementing and installing the Managed WI-FI services including hardware, internet bandwidth for a period of two years.

A contract signing ceremony to this effect was held here on Friday. Senior Provincial Minister for Information Technology, Shahram Tarakai was the chief guest on the occasion.

According to the official handout, the contract of provision free WIFI in educational institutions has been awarded to PTCL through a transparent competitive process.

Addressing on the occasion, the provincial minister termed the project a milestone achieved to empower the youth through the effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). He said that youth was the main focus of the incumbent government and as such the government was taking all possible measures to create maximum opportunities of employment for the young lots.

The minister said that the project would benefit minimum of 55000 students in the province.